‘The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway’ (or S.M.J.) was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England. It visited the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and a little of Buckinghamshire, only existing as the SMJ from 1909 to 1923. In 1923 the S.M.J.became a minor arm of the London Midland and Scottish (L.M.S.), then in 1948 'British Railways'

Gone but not forgotten: "the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth"

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Does this show the Scratter at Roade? 4 Replies

A very short clip of a cricket match at Roade. A goods train passes. Could it be on the SMJR?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnPSvt-NEeI Continue

Started by Ron Johnson. Last reply by Chris Hillyard RVM on Friday.

Black & White photos of the SMJ

HelloMy name is Mick Baker and i have recently joined your society.A friend of mine Nigel Hadlow, has taken several thousand black & white photosof railways around the country.With a little help from me with my limited computer skills, i have…Continue

Started by Mick Baker on Thursday.

Newport Pagnell OO gauge - MK Museum 1 Reply

I've added this photo album for Jon , David and anyone else to see. As its not SMJR related I will delete it after a few weeks. here is a linkNewport Pagnell OO gauge - MK…Continue

Started by Dick Bodily. Last reply by Dick Bodily on Wednesday.

DVD on the SMJ 3 Replies

HiI’m looking for a copy of the film “The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway” edited by Hillside Publishing some time ago.This company is now out of business and cannot be called upon to get a copy.If possible, I would wish to…Continue

Started by Jack Freuville. Last reply by Jack Freuville Dec 18, 2021.

SMJ photos

Article in the Meccano Magazine (Aug 1956) describing the SMJR Railtour

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Permalink Reply by alwyn sparrow on November 11, 2014 at 19:04

Souvenir of that trip.

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on November 11, 2014 at 20:15

Robin

Great stuff!

There's a famous photo of the Claud at Kings Cross complete with SMJ headboard. It appeared in the 1958 Observer's Book of Railway Locomotives of Britain. I wonder why it was taken off at Hitchin as Clauds sometimes ran through to Bletchley and where frequently seen at Northampton Castle in the late 50s, was there a problem? Do you have the date of this magazine so that I can add it to the list of articles on the appropriate webpage?

Dick

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Permalink Reply by Robin Cullup on November 11, 2014 at 23:00

Thanks for this, Dick. The article is in the August 1956 edition of Meccano Magazine (page 402) - I've seen (got) many photographs of 43222 on this special, but I've not seen this particular view before.

Robin

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Permalink Reply by Gary on January 16, 2016 at 14:35

The station is Byfield isn't it?
Great bit of history.

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Permalink Reply by Robin Cullup on January 16, 2016 at 15:26

The station is indeed Byfield.

There must have been many hundreds of photos taken of 43222 and train on the SMJ on this Sunday. What is perhaps amazing to us today is that the special ran on a Sunday meaning that several signal boxes must have been opened specially for the train to pass - would the railways go to that trouble and expense today? I doubt it.